If you are new to gardening, finding out the names of the flowers may seem challenging. The challenge to identify plants gets more difficult after a long winter, when some of the plants and shrubs appear different. This is because their blooms and leaves change color. These problems can easily be resolved with the use of evolving technology. Google is a one-stop solution to identify the plant. All you have to do is point the phone at the plant. This blog discusses how to use Google Lens to identify a plant in your garden.
What is Google Lens?
Google Lens allows you to search and look for what you see, all by using the camera of your phone. Whether it’s a photo or something you saw when passing by, the lens finds visually similar items and pulls related information from across the web. It gives fast results and is easy to use. All you need to do is -
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Switch on your phone.
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Open the Google app and type “Google Lens” in the search bar.
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Point your camera at the flower you want to search.
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Swipe up to explore more details about it.
Find a detailed tutorial below on how to identify a plant with Google!
How to Identify Plants Using Google Lens on Android Phones?
Android phones give you three options -
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Use Google Lens within Google Photos to identify a plant from an existing image.
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Tap the Google Lens icons through Google Assistant.
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Download the standalone Google Lens App.
As mentioned above, if you already have the photos, Google Assistant and Google Photos work the best. However, when identifying in real time, consider using the Google Lens application. You can find it on the Play Store, and it is free to download.
Use Google Photos
You can download Google Photos from the Play Store and sign in using your Gmail ID. Then, follow the steps mentioned below -
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Take a picture of the flower, plant, weed, shrubs, vines, etc.
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Open the Google Photos application and select the photo.
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Tap on the Google Lens icon.
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Crop the image to ensure Google Lens captures it efficiently.
Once done, Google will display a page with pictures of flowers that will put an end to your curiosity.
Use the Google Lens Application
First, download the Google Lens application, and follow the steps given below -
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Open the Google Lens app.
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Tap “Search With Your Camera” and approve the app to use your camera.
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Take a picture of the plant you want to identify, and Google Lens will give the result page in no time.
Use the Google Assistant
Google Assistant is usually built into your phone. But you can also download it from the Play Store. For this, all you need to do is open the Google Assistant and click on the Lens icon, and follow the process as given above.
How to Identify Plants Using Google Lens on iPhones?
To use Google Lens on iPhones, you can take help from -
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Google App
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Google Photos App
Google App
Google can also be used on iPhones, too. Simply launch Google and tap on the camera lens icon on the search bar. It’ll ask for permission to access your gallery. Once granted, you can select an image and crop the photo to focus more on the plant in question, for more specific and accurate results.
Google Photos App
You can download the Google Photos application on your iPhone and follow the steps given below -
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Click a photo of the plant.
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Open the Google Photos app, and grant the permission for the app to access your gallery.
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Select the photo and tap the Google Lens icon at the bottom of the screen.
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Once done, it’ll give a page of results that will answer your question.
What Are the Alternatives to Google Lens?
While Google Lens serves as a reliable tool for plant identification, it is not the only application making waves. With over 4 million apps available today, and the plant ID app market projected to reach multimillion-dollar revenues by 2029, competition is heating up.
Among the top contenders for iPhone and Android users are:
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PictureThis: It is free to use and download, but it offers premium subscription features.
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PlantNet: It is completely free to use.
When choosing which application to use, it is important to think about what you need. If you’re looking for a free, simple, and user-friendly tool to identify plants, Google Lens and PlantNet are the best choices. However, if you need in-depth information about which plant might be growing in your garden, if it is safe, how to grow them, etc., consider using PictureThis.
PictureThis offers expert advice, diagnoses plant issues, and provides care tips to identify and learn about plants with a tap of your camera.